Piano



March 16 1926.

E. W. POWERS PIANO 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenior: E'dz0ardWPowera,

Filed Dec. 16, 1921 March 16,1926. 1,576,545

E. W. POWERS PIANO 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7'02": Y ow 87's, aw

I rape-n III :l-llllll! meme Mar, 16} 192 P I Noi '2' '0 all wh mit-z't hiayconoemt:

" J ineiit in ifiianos of 'Whiehfthe' following 'descriptiomgin"connectlonwith the accomp'anyingidrawings,i"1s ejspeolfieat on, 'hke IQ-parts, 7

This invention relates tonnpiovements 1n charaotersgon the dra ings representing like ,"pianos', and thefobj'ects thereof"\vii1 ;readi1y I nppeai' froln fthe following spec fication taken in conneetion 'with the accoinpnnying drawings ofs'peoifio embodiments of the in- .;ve1'1ti'on' I which have been selected lne 'eiy for v I Purposes ofiilinstretion; Y I Referring tofithe dimvlng's V "fFigQv-lis a pien'yiei pofa;po1tion0f so. 11111 11 of gra ned 'qi ano cons'trncted in ac-' fool-dance with the'finventionas 'wiil enzibie' we clearly to understand the: nature of the ,'ini%entioi1,-the portioniilnstieted being'the ti'e'b1eiend of the pianqshoW'ing a plurality 525i" treble strings} 'fj I Fig.9 isej-section taken 'onthe'lin'e- 3 inuet fates, on; an; enlarged scale;

e F theLrighbhend -end ot 'the strlng of Flg; audits support ng ineans;

I. H Figfl i ie" a 1 31211 iew. of the {parts sh'oiin fiong'stiings'; I h h I FigQT-ii; a veitieaiisection taken on The line T-,7 ofFigzBQ r g fF'g; 8 is anenlarged endelevation of the supports11own inFigs. G' and 7 viewed in 'the di 'ectionof theflfijdVSfA, Fig. 7

V5.45 In the eeeompiinying exenip'iifica'tion of e the invention, portions of an appropriate; piano casing l a 'e siiown supporting the 1 vai'ion s'element's of't'heinet ruinent. WVith'in;

this case are lnountedlthe keys and an action shown in part at Q3, Fig. Q ha ing' hainniei glone of which is' shoW'n at 4, also 7 other features Well known to' those skilled;

in the -dirt b it as theyforinno part of the:

- V f presentinventioin no detailed or'niore coni Be it knonfn'thzit I, EDXVARD W; P WERS,"

la citizen of the} United States, and a residenti ofBo'ston, county of Suifoiigjand State-0i. fi i viassaciiusetts, have invented an Improve-f.

withthejplate head. 7

her; 11. 'lhe-plate' 6 carriesthe ueual piano stnngefi, 12 eaCh'. secured a oneqend-to 3.

V I- i'gl ijsnbstantialiy" on the line f5 5 of ssfFi'g'. 4; x i 1 7 t is a "detziihpian iew 1015 anotherv V ifoin'ivof string support shown in'thejijresent" "example snppoi gann'ison of relatively" pl'et'e description thereofl is i believed neces- Securedjto the'hcase- 1, in any appropriate I manner, is a sounding board 5, mdm-ranged above the beardais-apme oi-frame (5 of substantially rigid construction einbody f ing the, usual platehead Tbearing tuning," pins, 8,8. Ziheimme 6 also includes a beai-= ing bar 9 connected by'1neans of struts l0,- lOi andlower plate inemone of ther tuni'ng pins 8 and at' its opposite oi" t iil end 'to-th elower plate portion 11- herein by resilient:supports 13 which per :iniit i'ate'i'ai"yielding;of thejs'upported ende ofthe-strings' in {ordei 'to proiide a' lnore natural or free vib 'etory"lnovenient thereof. Preferably these supports are, arranged suh--- stentialiy parallel with the strings and to 7 give the 'best-1'esu1tsand greater fieedoni of [action ffdin'ingtheir lateral yielding aoi'ion, thfndsfof fs'nid Springs 'a'r'e fixed w ethe frame oi-eplate 6'iitjpointslbetween' the" e'ndS of the strings. fvai'ious devices may 'st'rlng -si'1pbe feinployed for fastening the ports, to the fran1e,'and in Figs. 3 to 5,011,

such exampleis shown consisting of a seri'ee" of Sockets 1% fol ned as; for example, *by';

drilling throngli an upstanding ledgelb h H i I I the litter preferably forming flip-arr of a d ti anstersesectiontaken through V 1the-baSeofthe Supporting means shown in plate 16 seou 'ed"infamy appropriate manner to the frame; or plate 6, see F1'g.*3.1 J

The sockets {14L are'fprefei ably 'pireiici V I w-ithth'e strings 12 andezi'ch socketis herein positioned with It-SQXIS 'iyin'g'inthe same yei tioz lfplaiieWith'dth axis of its particular 7 string-.7

cilindriczil stem 17 which is inserted into :the' socket H fron'i the end nearest to the tail lot" the" string, said members being shouldered atj18 to engage a suitably positioned face19bftheiedge=15 and positively 'rning of the ineinhrs. 13in their sockets the holee constituting said so -km aie'posit'ioned rather. near. to the u'ppeijf ce 2050mm plate 1 6 am]. the menibei e 13 are time 20;? flt'Y i1 squia red ofif' at 21 toiengage said,

1015 o 1 he ppqient "fl-6m t e; fo egoi g description that after. the" etringhzive been" attached to theirsupports and tension is ap pliedto said. strings in'tuning that sald supports Will be fi mly inaintained yithin their "said sounding board. lf blyf membera fpn fid d a i a. a a

' g althougl it'iis to be; understood that j the invention is not limited to this arrangefinent. Preferably, ho yveven jeael'i string illustrated .is "coinposedfoii three elements said spring; the, .yibi'atory action i. of V I to ew Q i V side and inclined jat an angle; thereto, the

'iii cliiiatiofl oi saidiole being preferably upwardly; V and j outwardly toward the free endoi the support. 9 From therhole 30 the by its r spective string in sist, in predetermined pressure; brought to bear upon zthe fend oi i i sfiring'br stringsfas' the oase may. be; or of for ea'ch, individual what ternied theart as a imison'an-c'l in this ,eXa'mplgf'each nd vidual element of the has, an independent support 13 for examp l s; t K

' a V I n -1nclus1ye, ;a string unison 23 is shown consisting-bf three separate 7 strings 24, "251 and '26..

v v. The'end 'ofith ef strlngsunits "beattached: Ito

their respective supporting n enibers in h string .lSj lnfiGI'itQd in hole drilled the -sup port 'froni lts'gunder Wire 'eornposmg said string extends out wardly around the free end olf the-support in i contact; with the end of said Wire which has I beeh fextended beyond the "end of theihole 3O inthe 1neinberil3' and is: bent latera'llyto :1 lie across the faoejthereotat 22 (see Fig.6)

The Wire "of said string their stretches oyer q "a slight elevation or ridge 31 forrhedatthe endfof the supporting member to prevent Contact between'the string and the face of said' nember 13' except atthe ridge, to ithe m nding board and tuning pin 8 asshown in Fig. 2.

, From the foregoing description it will be seen thattheresiliently supported endlbf" each string iscapableof ibrating substan- V tia'lly. perpendicularly ,to the face ofth'e soun'ding b'oard independently of theo'ther strings and hence will,iprovide what nay 7 -be termed a flexible1hitch line; .inljother 60 7 words ithe wholestrain f produced upon a i string bythet impact; of its'h'aininer 4 thereli b w ii a- Qe ii iba t-Qan he b dehereinafter referred to as coinposing the post wand-tubularhead 34 will not' 'be i absorbed sol-e1 :the elasticity: of the tone and also to re; I degree, the lateralv phere.

an; ndependent supporting n the fornl shown s u'itab qannerjbut herein the end 29 'tion 'to prevent anyrsueh longitudinal move:

ment. Obviously whereiajunisonis created with less jl'lliifi thi'jeeistrings, the upPerendE of the post 32 will be of adength to corre spend and be provided with the requisite -nljirnber of bearing pointsi 7 a V lirFig. 1 ofthe accompanyingdrawings I string but the greater part ivilllbe absorbed bythe resilient supporting member for the string.

,By reason oi this V of the v torce a V of impact, the string will retain its correcttone for 'a 'muchlonger period than ouldbe the case where the end'of the string is fixed toia substantially rigid support andis com- .p'elledto sustain the entireforc'eof such illlpact: "Furthermore the expression of tone of the string-so sup orted will not beun necessarily limited. Neither ivill'said tone be affected by changes wroughtin the shape of the sounding board byabsorptionor loss, to changes in the at1nos-' a,

of inoisture, due

means are provided for each unison consist lng preferably of a: metal post 32fattached directly to "the sounding board! The post? shown in the r present exai'nple includes a threaded isteln extending" through {a 1 sounding board 'reenforcing,strip 33 and. into the sounding board f'itlself. 5' The upper end of saidpo'st is pi eferablyin tubular format 34110 provide bearing points, 35 and. i '36 01 each," sti'ihg,j' said fjb'ear-ing'points be i 1 ing'. for'nled drilling laterally through, the,

head 3% of 7 said post; to 'forinjlhole'sthrough which 7 each of the strings "of the unisons 25f m -inserted; and 'inteipolsitioned preferably betweenithe ti'vo bearing: points 3 5 andf36 is another bearing point that is ap osed to the bearing points 35 and 36 Vito-insure a positive-and continuous Contact bet-ween said *s'ei 'eral points and the strin said bearing point 37 he'r'ein consisting of a irod 3Tof a size large enough to s ligh'tlyi'deflect said strings when; undertension and thus prevent relative longitudinal and lateral? movements between the "posts and "said string gduring Vibratorymovement's of said string; the tel sion onsaid string producing sufiicient fri only a por'tion of thetreble strings are every individualstri'ng of a piano'iforte Whether such string eonsists of a single ele ment or a" plurality ofelements Land, in each instancejeach eleinentlinay be provided with an; ndependently movable or resilient sup-g p'ortlngi mer'nber dh I 7 Any: appropriate 1 ineans may be employed for transniittingthe vibrations offthe string receired fro nthe impact of said hann ner to the sounding board,abuthereinfindividual iii ing bevelled at -53jto engage; correspondi i'ec'esses-in'tlie'pla I 1 I Inf'this."example the meii bei' 48 is not slit' longitudinally to? 1 shouldelso be bornefinniind that, withlengt h ."of the supporting -member' 13 may be variedtofcorrespond with the funda- 'inental length of the particular string or group OfjstringsWhieh, it supports.

V 'I1if-Figs'. '6,';7, and 8'Ihave shown a resilientstring supporting" inembermounted in aslightl'y difi'erent manner fromsthat shown in the precedingfigures and, having its free end t'ormed Somewhat d fferently y from the 7 form; previously described. Iii I thseffigui 'es; 5"I'repr esents the usual sound ,board and 6 .the plate or "fraine of the piano just asin theprecedinginstancefsaid soun'fd-f ingboard, having a bridge4c0 of the usual for i'iation; attached thereto and-provided [with the oppositely inclined pins 41 and 42' for" securing the string t3 to said bridgein 'o rd'er'f'tol transmit Vibrations fi0m1 said string to said*sounding board. A string grouple is shown consisting of three sep-* i 'it'erposeld b'et w'efeiithe ends of said strings, 'saidinember48;.-beii1gattaclied at said point .49to*the rigid frame' O'rpplate- G herein by 5-6 m sa-ewe '50 and 51 the arate 'liainents'hffi and :47 each ot which is secured to theout'erfree end of a: supporting member- L8 l aving'a fixed point 49 v {into the me nb plate 6 sm prov d screws, the 'lower' fa t d" one "for each of sa d o'ff' said washer vide for the independ' ent "deflection; otfe "h string 1 element but I all elements of -the stringgvibrate in -'unihiyfapprop'riate means may/be profor securing said stringelen ents 't'o' ee; end of said member 48 but herein t-h'e outside elen'ients-45 and 47 ofthe group videdftherefor. f The'elements and 47 are of thesame pieee -ofTivireflvh-ich forms a loop 5 4; at theieiid ofthen'ember e8 which loop ex't'en'ds roiin the contact "pin '5' down;

wijirdlyjaround the underside of said sup-; porting member (as shown in Fig-s17 an di Tl'fe in ddlei element 4E6" of the' group extends over the contact pin around the end o'f said ineinbe i' t8{within iii-properly formed groove ,55 'and upwardly into a To provide proper 's'itor said member 48 upon said positioning washefsl52y 52 extending JV ifi and inpart into:

end "fromfthe bridgeftfiovetythe mem 'bei 8 a' slightdi'staiice thereabove to a bear- 'ing rib, herein a pin 54 arranged transverse- 1y ofjthe-memb'er' 48 within a groove pro e I "preferably are secured to separate tuning n" thefs'cope and purpose of the nvention, I 4 th 4 strings which are the lengths extending from thebridge or post 32- tothe contact atthe end of said support .1 3, in harmonic proportion with the-- fi indainental lengthotv the sti'ii'ig or that length between the bridge or-po'st 32 and thebearing b21189, this proportion or ratio'being- ;k1iowii, astlie Duplex From the foregoing descrip 'tioiiit will be obvious that when a hammer strikes a string,

the vibrations produced upon said string by the impact of said hammer will be prolonged for a greater period owing to the'resiliency of the support 13' tlian will bepossible in pianos or with strings wherein the tails; form' a rigid or fixed hitchline-as distiu guished from the fleXiblefhitch line produced by mounting. the hitching or securing means for each strin'goii independently or relative ly movable elements; or atleast 'u'p on ele'-' ments that may move laterally of the sounding boardbutliave practically no longitudiii'a-l'movements. u w v Moreover the tone produced by a string, or strings mounted in "thisina'nner will die minish' in volume more gradually than would be possible withistrings having'their tails hitched to a,rela'tively rigid frame,' in

which latter case the diminution 'ot-the tone is ;-m0 re likely to begrad'uaifor-a' shoit period and then terminate abruptly [or breakvso to speaks: q

While I have herein shown and {described for illustrative] purposes certain, "-embodb' ments of my invention and have disclosed and described in detail-the construction and arrangement incidental to such disclosure",

iio

itlis to be distinctly understood that the ini i vention is limited neither to the mere detail; or relativearrangement of parts, norftothe' specific applications shown, but tliflt'llllliifilfous substitutions,and alterations may be made without departing from; the principle: thereof. a v

' Claims:- j

- 1. Inafpiano thej combination with i a l v plate and a-striiig, of a resilient support for said string, rigidly secured to said plate at. a point between the ends of said str ng.

2.111 a piano,: the fco nbi1iation with a .plate and*.arstring, of atuning pingat one end of said string ande resilient support for} the other I end'iof said string, said support being rigidly secured to saidf plate at;

a point betwe'en thej ends of saidstr-in'g.

supportbeing, {rig ll "longitud-inal'ly unyielding supp In a. piano, thecombination with a v plate and a string stretched overs-aid plate hitching means I for, said string and a laterally yielding: suppcrt for 1 said hitching" means, rigidly secured'to said plate intermediate of the ends of said string,

4,111 a -1)l21I10, gthe CQIIlblIliltlOllj'Wltll a plate and a string having one end attachedto said plate, of'a resi tient suppo'it for the 5. In a. piano,;,the combinatieuwitli a plate and astring having one end attached;

to said plate, of a resilientsupport for the.

other end c t/said string including. a sub-, 1 st anti-ally spring having one end rigidly.

' secured to saidpl'ateata point between the:

, endsof said string.

6,. In a p ano, 'agp at a point substantially between; the ends of said string t0 perinit la'teral yielding of the i end thereofteiwhieh saidstring is'eonneeted I but preventing lengitudinal yielding of said a i V T; In a piano, the 'GOlIlbil gtion-withfl p j plate and a plurality of groups of strings;

stretched over said -,plate,;iof individual laterall'y yieldingllsupports for ,said groups, peach of said supports being frigidlyseeured jt-ojT-said :plateflat point intermediate the 1 endsyofits respective groups of stringsr 'In a piano, the a combination with a plate {and a pluralityof groupsid-f .strings stretched upon'sa' id plate,.0f individual lat x. ei ally yielding butisuhstantially lQngitudi-; na lly" rot-s11 'gs,-,eael;1v0f said supports heiirg'rigidly an I I anit-intermediatethe ends of strings, eg nposing its fespect'ive group.

unyielding 7 supports for; said greups d detachably secured at said plate .idual laterally resilient supports for agroup ofv strings I and [individual supports each element of-said 'gi ouip' rigidly se cured td saidplate toullow lateralyielding oil thejendsfpf the strings secured to; said supports I but eliminating j elongating tend- 11. "In -a plane incolnhinatioinya plate,

, a; plural-ity f strings, a i laterally yielding mittin-g 'vibratiqnslfroin said: stringto said; board, the positions of said brldgetineans; between the ends of sa d strings heing such 1 endadjustahly cqnnected tosaid plate, ef resilient support for. the ether end of said a V p w .line of said string, means to sustain .the

over said plate, a resilient supporting inemf her for one end at least fo'f "sa ids' tring ar-i rangedsubs'tanti allyparallel V;th'erewith, :the I outer endjoi. said sup-port jhavingcennec tionw'ith said string, theinnerend of said teryinpveinents et said; tails with a sense} cqlnpensa te fenthe'tende rcy to increase the; .te'nsien off said str ngs during, vibrations' 'pQrting nlemhers seeuned to said frainrein; I"

; l a ly:Lr sfie ppor nt rnese 'e- I 7 plate atpoints'substantially intermediate I v In, a; stringe l instnun'ient, t-he conibina jtien it-h strings anda' sounding hoard'o f ind "the ends of said strings, and means inter fpesed hetweeneaelr of said strings-and said: sounding hqardg teindividually.transmittihr'atiens of said strings and sai d'resirlient' supports to said sounding-board. i i a 1.0.;1-11- a "pi-ane gin egmbinati'en, a plate,

'Series-OfstPin-gs stretcliedfacr0ss said plate o'rt for each frame I and 3 constituting a resilient :h-itch Aline ofsaid sti'ingssecured to said. plate'substan-i tially hetwee-nthe ends of said. strings ,fa sounding heartland" bridge IneansfQr transas to cause the Vihrations of the tails of the r strings to harinonlze with the Vibrations 'of theiactive port ons of sa d strings.

12, In 1 a f'stringed instrument, 7 the eon bi nation with aplate and a string-having one string adapted to yieldin" a directientrans= verse t the longitudinalinedianiline of said string but relatively none-yielding lengitu; V i llr :1 the e d upport hav ng! fixed point between and substantially in the thrust due to thetension ofthestringupOn said resilient supportand means t -secure said resilient,support to ,said plate;

13,1111 a stringed instrumenua substan} tially ',rigidkiramee strings stretched; over said frame, supporting 'ineans for the tail ends, of said strings to allevt lateral, yibraQ quent; drawing 't'e'getheifl-of theextre1n;ities= oii said str ngs subset-antially sufficient to 'thereef, saidi lfi'e'lisi including "resilient supteflnedi'ate of 's tri g {'I v, 5214; In a stringed instrument," a: plate, a

series-10f strings stretched;- over said plate, a

the-ends ofntheir' respeetiye tween-the tails"ef-saidstrings and saidgplate the ;degrees Lief I later-al defleetion of sa;i c supports varying inpropertion to I the :nunn l her efyibrationsper secondjoif said strings j1'5 I1'1-a stringedinstrument,a uma; series o fgstrings stretched acrosszsaid :pla-teand I laterally resilient. supp citing means i'Qr; H thetails 'of-saijd stringsmeunted uponsaid ofthe ends of said strings andiconstituting a flexible h t ch llnQfOlf said ser es of strings. g

I 16. In a s'trlnged instrument, a 1plate, -a

and laterally resilient supporting meansfor? the tails ofsaid strings n eunted upon'said': plate at, points substantially intermediateof the ends of zsfaid-striugsand constituting]:

afle'xihle hitch line-'fqrwsaid, strings extender" I 7 111g substantially throughqut the extent z of" SaidseriesO-f strings. :j I I {17, In a :str nged, instrument, a-subst'am t1al1y.,-r1gid trams,- strings stretched across fraineysupper ting means for the} tail ends ofsaid str ngs, arrangedtojallow lat-;;; eral vibratory; movements ei fsaiidgtails, said;

suppertingrmeans being-securedto said 7 extending substantially throughout said series of str ngs. g H g g 18. In a stringed instrument, a substantially rigid frame, strings stretched across 0 said frame, supporting means for the tail ends of said stringserranged to allow independent lateral vibratory movements of said 7 tails, said supporting means being secuved to said frame and constituting an interrupted resilient hitch line extending sub- 10 stantiallythrough said series of strings.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification. l

EDWARD WQPOWERS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,576,545, granted March 16,

1926, upon the application of Edward W. Powers, of B0ston,-Massachusetts, for an improvement in Pianos, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 45, claim 8, for the Word at read to, and line 82, claim 12, after the article a insert the Words spring having a; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of April, A. D. 1926.

[smn] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Oomflm'ssz'oner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,576,545, granted March 16,

1926, upon the application of Edward W. Powers, of B0ston,-Massachusetts, for an improvement in Pianos, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 45, claim 8, for the Word at read to, and line 82, claim 12, after the article a insert the Words spring having a; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of April, A. D. 1926.

[smn] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Oomflm'ssz'oner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certilied that in Letters Patent No. 1,576,545, granted March 16,

1926, upon the application of Edward W. Powers, of Boston, Massachusetts, for an improvement in. Pianos, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 45, claim 8, for the Word at read to, and line 82, claim 12, after the article a insert the Words spring having a; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of April, A. D. 1926.

[smn] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

